Playground equipment



Feb. 1451956 w. PRlCER PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT Filed July 25, 1947 2 She6 bs-Sheet 1 lure/Itin- W. E. PRICER PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT Filed July 25. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

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Willi: E- IE'TI'QEP A tin rn eys Patented Feb. 14 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a novel construction of multiple playground equipment and more 'particularly to a combination swing and merry-goround which is occupant propelled.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination swing and merry-go-round having a connection therebetween whereby the swing will be propelled by the occupant thereof for transmitting motion to the merry-go-round.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel means whereby the oscillating motion transmitted by the swing is converted into a rotary motion for transmission to the merry-go-round.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment tional view of a portion of the clutch.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the improved playground equipment in its entirety is designated generally 1 and includes a swing, designated generally 8 and a merry-goround, designated generally 9.

The swing 8 includes a supporting frame, designated generally I having upwardly and inwardly inclined legs I I at the corners thereof and which are connected at their upper ends to correspond- 'ing longitudinal side members I2 forming a part of the frame top. The side members I2 are connected at corresponding ends thereof by a cross member or red I3 which joins with the upper ends of two ofthe legs II. The upper ends of the other two legs I I are connected to the opposite ends of the side bars I2 by hearing members I4 which are interposed therebetween and which may be suitably connected to or formed integral with said last mentioned ends of the side members I2 and the two last mentioned legs II. The bearing members I4 are disposed in transverse alignment for journaling an end I5 of a shaft I8, which end I5 forms the other cross member of the frame top, but which differs from the cross member I3 in that it is rotatable relatively to the frame II).

The swing 8 includes two pairs of depending levers I1 and I8. The upper ends of the levers I! are keyed by collars I9 to the shaft portion I5 between the bearings I4 and the upper ends of the levers I8 are provided with aligned bearing portions 20 which are journaled on the cross member I3. The lower ends of the pairs of levers I1 and I8 are connected pivotally to the ends of a platform, designated generally 2| including substantially parallel side rails 22 which are journaled at their ends to individual levers I! and I8 by cross rods or shafts 23, one of which extends through and is journaled in the lower ends of the levers I1 and connected to corresponding ends of the side rails 22 and the other of which similarly extends through and is journaled in the lower ends of the levers I8 and connected to the opposite ends of the side rails 22. The platform 2I also includes two cross rails or rods 24, one of which is disposed adjacent to but spaced from each end of the platform 2I.

An occupant supporting seat 25 is supported between each of the pairs of levers I1 and I8, above but adjacent their lower ends, said seat 25 having pins or stub shafts 28 projecting from the ends thereof and which extend through and are journaled in the levers I1 and I8 for swivelly mounting the seats relatively thereto. The seats 25 are connected by a connecting bar 21 which extends therebetween and is connected at its ends to the undersides of said seats and a lever 28 is pivotally connected intermediate of its ends to the connecting bar 21 adjacent each seat 25 and approximately above the cross rod 24, disposed adjacent thereto. The lower ends of the levers 28 are pivotally connected to or journaled on the intermediate portions of the cross rods 24 and the upper ends of said levers 28 are provided with cross handles 29 adapted to be engaged by the occupants of the seats 25 who sit facing inwardly or toward one another with their feet upon the adjacent cross rod 24 and with their hands engaging the handle 29 so that by the execution of a backward and forward or oscillating motion on the handles 29 and accordingly on the upper ends of the levers 28, it will be readily apparent that the platform 2! and the levers I1 and I8 will be caused to swing as a unit longitudinally in the frame I0 and which'will also cause the shaft I8 to be oscillated in unison therewith.

The merry-go-round 9 includes a top portion 88 having depending and diverging legs 3| extending from the corners thereof and combining therewith to form the merry-go-round frame. A thrust bearing 32 is fixedly disposed on the sup porting surface of the legs 3| for journaling the lower end of an upwardly extending shaft 33 which is disposed substantially centrally of the merry-go-round frame and the upper end of which extends through and is journaled in a bearing} in'the central portion of the frame top 30.

A gear housing having an open flanged bottom is secured by fastenings 35 which extend through the flanges or ears 36 thereof and into the frame top 38, for detachably mounting said housing thereon. Said gear housing, designated generally 3?, is provided with bearings 38 in the ends thereof and in which the opposite end of the shaft It is journaled so that said shaftexztends longitudinally through the gear housing 3?. A bearing 3571's iournaled .on the shaft ltadjacent each end of the gear'housing 3'! and on the inner side thereof and'ach of said bearings 38 isprovided with a radially projecting flange 40 at its inner end. The fianges 46 are connected by means of fastenings M to annular bevel gears 52 and 4 5 name s s flie o p s e ons i o n another and which meshvwith diametrically ppfl es ep t e? a la u a tr st r-e gear-sit which is likewise disposed in-the housing 31 and keyed tn the pper, end'q the h ttea. Tl'iebevelgearsJiand are provided with pawl and vratchet clutch means 45 and l5, .respectively, each '.of which includes a collar 4? which is splined or keyedatfis to theshaft It so that said collars lll are disposed within and concentric of the annular bevel gears 42 and 3.

east of the" collars 41' is provided with at least on a P e rabl We u w rd e e n t cesses 49 in the. periphery thereof andthe beds of which recesses are gener ally arcuately shaped. If

the collars A! are provided with two recesses 49, such repesses are preferably disposed in diarnetrically opposed relationshipand each of said recesseshas a in or shaft 51! extending transversely thei ethroug h toprovide a pivot for a pawl 5| whichis thereby pivotallyniounted relatively to itscollanll for swinging' movernentlin its recess #49 d whi ha a? n r r d roit ng wardly therefrofn The inner annular faces of the bevel gears 42 and 43 are amides with teeth ii? arranged cirou nfere'ntially therearound and which :5 I in the sanie 'directionand each of which inches incline d face and a substantially ra ally disposedface. The pawls 5! are 'pr de .brbu fie fr i 'i e f s m n withthe inclined faces of the teeth 5;; and with s bsiae 'iauy, s ai and an; We i d e en emen 'iht enam ls radially d sposed faces of 't ejt eeth 52. Alea'f springtfi has one end thereof fixedly secured by afastening 54 in each recess 59 has its free end projecting outwardly therefrom and bearing against the substantially straight edge of its pawl 5| for urgits th PM o r re ati e 9 it collar 41 in a counterclockwise direction, relatively to -its hub 41, as seen looking toward the inner end of the hubor collar. i

Referring to Figure 1, the shaft 33 has a collar '55 keyed thereto and adjacent the lower end th ee ee whi h o c s ral t of r a supporting arms 56 which are connected interrnediate of their ends by an annular brace 51. A plurality of occupant supporting seats 5;; are maimed outwardly Q t e nnu a tac ea will be" oscillated thereby As the shaft l6 oscil lates in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figures 3 and 5, the hub or collar 41 of the clutch 45 ed es-o ille h itcifl Q the clutch. 55 will lsle ii It intestate-meshe 1 -sear means-maimed tbame rr e zr und sun:

and w l'ijeh is associated with the bevel gear 42 will likewise turn in a clockwise direction causing thestraight edges of the pawls 5| thereof by engagement with the radial faces of the teeth 52to turn the bevel gear 42 also in a, clockwise direction for rotating the large bevel gear 44 and vnge ove e findings; o posite, id sp the t et 52 Q. h t l b n ier Q: iniurt W ththe se r it Dia ies interestin lrntatilh of the shaft IS, the pawls 5| of the colla ,41

.9 itch it w ll r ta e the t ete ear -3 w fiee hi l5 1. -e t th fac hat pawls t' be 19 11 .55 w ll ai'e the r stra s tedses rin a ain tthe ae i stes Qithe e h .52 the bevel gear 43 so that the bevel gear 43 Fe of ie that? 3.3 r in felin i edges 19? theie th 2 of ea 1 so t the fili 55 will be di eng ed- Y- t wil thu readily apparent that the bevel gear 4 4 and shaft is i 9? ro es the sam d t io a substan ia ly .eenstaeily Whi lhe w ns 18 is in operation and it will likewise be readily obvious thatthis retanonte the haft .33 w l im ar a rotation to .arms 55, race 5] and seats 58 "Vari us modifisati ns an ch s ar 91. .t mplated a d ay ebr usl be les en d in, wi hout d part n -f o th nt or scop o the invention as hereinafter ,defipedzby line 1 amended claims.

i c aim n erview 1. n :a c mbination play rou d equi ment,

swinesupportingstruetur an occupant-a tuated and voq uimnt supporting swin supported. or

osci atin movement by sai swine ,sunpert ns pertinell9 lll? and so eo est me h ft t9 aid me -0 A d g rl he shaft and l ten .enerat velr QQREIQOEQQ meagre Y to the gear means fordriving the upright drivirig shaft constantly in the same direction when the gear means is actuated by oscillation of the first mentioned shaft 2. A combination playground equipment as in claim 1, said gear means including a large bevel gear keyed to themerry-go-round drive shaft and opposed bevel gears mounted on and driven by the first mentioned shaft and meshing with diametrically opposed portions of the first mentioned bevel gear. v

3. A combination playground equipment as in claim 1, said gear means including a large bevel gear keyed to the merry-go-round drive shaft, opposed bevel gears connected to the first mentioned shaft and meshing with diametrically opposed portions of the'flrst mentioned bevel gear and said clutch means including a pawl and ratchet clutch associated with each of said last mentioned bevel gears, one of said clutches bev 1,254,890

- :the opposite direction.

ing arranged to drive the bevel gear thereof in one direction of oscillation of the first mentioned shaft, and the other clutch being con- "structed and arranged to drive its bevel gear when the first mentioned shaft is oscillating in WILLI E PRICER.

REFERENCES CITED,

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1 833355 Veeder Oct. 16, 1906 839,631 Orrick Dec. 25, 1906 977,206 Lyda Nov; 29, 1910 1,175,138 Drake fi Mar. 14, 1916 1,193,237 Clark Aug. 1, 1916 Douglass Jan. 29, 1918 

